Phlox plant named ‘Wespore’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Wespore’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wespore’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox, botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wespore’.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely branching Phlox cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004, in Südlohn, Germany, of a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P006, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identified as code number 04P035, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wespore has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wespore’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wespore’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.     -   4. Dark red-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Phlox have larger and lighter green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

-   -   2. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are larger and more vigorous than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         lighter red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar Sunphlore, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,726. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar Sunphlore in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar Sunphlore.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Sunphlore.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had larger and lighter green-colored         leaves than plants of the cultivar Sunphlore.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivar USPHL03, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,846. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar USPHL03 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than         plants of the cultivar USPHL03.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar USPHL03.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had more flowers per inflorescence         than plants of the cultivar USPHL03.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL03 differed in         flower color as plants of the USPHL03 had dark purple-colored         flowers with a red-colored star pattern at the center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wespore’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 20 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification:

Phlox hybrida cultivar Wespore.

-   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P006, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             hybrida identified as code number 04P035, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26             days at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, close to 158A.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit;             outwardly spreading; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching             habit with lateral branches developing at every node;             pinching enhances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 44 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.1 mm. Internode length: About 2.75 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: 143B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 137B. Developing             leaves, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 146A; venation, 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 137C; venation, 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged in             terminal cymes; flowers face upward to outward. Freely             flowering habit with about 16 flowers per cyme.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period;             continuously flowering from April to autumn in Germany.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oblong Color: 71 A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9.9 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.3 cm. Lobe width: About 1.3 cm. Shape:             Broadly obovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing petal lobes, upper surface: Between 46A and 61B.             Developing petal lobes, lower surface: 61A to 61B; towards             the base, 155C. Fully expanded petal lobes, upper surface:             61A to 61B; color becoming closer to 53C with development.             Fully expanded petal lobes, lower surface: 61B to 61C;             towards the base, 155C; color becoming closer to between 69D             and 61C with development. Eye: Between 46B and N77A. Throat:             58A. Tube: Between 58A and 155C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at base; tubular in shape. Length: About             7.4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface:             146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 0.6 cm to 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.1 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 143B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1.8 mm. Anther width: About             0.2 mm. Anther color: 13B. Pollen amount: Moderate to             abundant. Pollen color: 13B. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted.             Stigma color: N144A to N144B. Style length: Less than 1 mm.             Style color: 144B. Ovary color: 144B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: Typically three. Length: About             3.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm. Color: N200A to N200B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Wespore’ as illustrated and described. 